


Pierced

by Synnie



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 05:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7605145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synnie/pseuds/Synnie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With her crucifixion still negatively impacting her life, Levy decides it's time to take her body back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pierced

**Author's Note:**

> I know Levy doesn't actually have any piercings, but I love the idea of Gajeel piercing her. On a personal note, I have gotten pierced as a "take my body back" movement. It was painful because of it broke the psychological bubble my body had been in, but it didn't physically hurt as much as I thought it would. Without question, the most invigorating and empowering things I have ever done.

_It’s an olive branch_ , she told herself as she walked towards a dilapidated shack on the outskirts of Magnolia. 

Levy tended to avoid this area. It wasn’t that it was the bad side of town per se, it was just shadier than the rest, and she never had any sort of reason to be out there. Especially not to the outskirts. She got the directions from Mira, who was up in every one’s business, and Levy made sure not to stray from the barmaid’s directions. She definitely didn’t want to get lost out here all by herself. Jet and Droy had no idea where she was going. She had been careful to avoid them all day because she knew they’d question her nervousness and if they found out where she was going, they would never let her go. 

She didn’t blame them. It wasn’t so long ago that the man she was going to see had crucified the three of them to a tree and marked her with his guild symbol, hung where the whole town could see. Jet and Droy weren’t letting it go, and neither were her other guild mates.

But Levy noticed him every time he stepped into the guild hall. It had begun initially out of fear. She always kept an eye on him so he could never catch her off guard again. If she could see him, she could keep her distance. But her hypervigilance picked up on something else. Everyone reacted one of two ways: either they avoided him, or they bullied him. They would never be so bold to actually say anything to him, but Levy had seen them more than once shove passed him, or knock food onto him. He let Jet and Droy attack him, he took a hit to protect Levy herself. He could’ve killed them, and in the past Levy believed he would have. But he was trying to change, trying to be the guild member that only the Master thought he could be. So he never reacted. Not even once. Sure, he narrowed his eyebrows and gave a scalding look, but never anything more than that. 

Which led Levy to take the path she was on today. She had seen him trying, and so she decided to meet his efforts half way. No one’s actions should go unnoticed, especially when they were trying so hard to change. So with a shaking breath, she knocked on the wooden door that was lined with iron plates and studs that she was fairly certain wasn’t part of the original design. 

She didn’t move, she barely even breathed, for a few long minutes. Giving him longer to answer the door than he would’ve needed given the size of the house, she let out an exhale and turned to head back to Fairy Hills. But the door opened. Not very far, mind you. Just enough for half a face to peek out, a crimson eye shrouded with shadow. 

“What?”

“Gajeel,” Levy’s voice rasped a bit before she cleared her throat and held her head up a little further. “I wanted to talk to you.”

He stared at her for a long minute before walking away from the door. He left it ajar though, it opening slightly wider as he walked away. Levy hesitantly followed him inside and closed the door behind her. She had sealed off her only way of escape and she tried not to let it scare her. Turning around, she took in the sight before her.

In all honesty, she was impressed. It was clear not only from where he was living but also his furnishings that he wasn’t taking high paying jobs. He made his own furniture, creating the bases and frames with metal and decorating it with what he could. The couch he was sitting on, arm over the back and one ankle on the opposite knee, was simply a pile of cushions and pillows on a metal frame. Levy approached the couch and sat on the opposite end. She was as small as she could be, knees pressed tightly together, hands on her lap, shoulders stooped slightly. 

And she could feel him watching her.

“Whaddaya want?” Gajeel growled a few minutes later after realizing that even though she wanted to talk to him, she wasn’t going to speak.

Taking a deep breath, she looked over and locked eyes with him. “I want you to do something for me.”

One pierced eyebrow rose. “And why would I wanna do that?”

Levy looked back down. “No one in the guild likes you.” It pained her to have to state the obvious, even though he already knew. 

“I don’t want your pity.”

“That’s not where I’m going with this. Your actions led you to this point, but since you joined Fairy Tail, you’ve been working at becoming a better person. You haven’t tried to kill any of us since you joined,” she looked up at him with a small smile, hoping he would understand she was only teasing him gently. He remained stone faced. “I’m here for two reasons. I don’t like that anyone in the guild is friendless. Even you. I thought, maybe, if I reached out to you, you’d see that someone’s noticed that you’re changing.”

After a moment of silence, Gajeel spoke, his voice rough as always, but with less bite than it usually had. “What’s your other reason?”

“You broke me,” Levy’s voice was barely above a whisper. “You took everything I was and ripped it to shreds. You brought fear into my life, and shame. I’ve been afraid before, but it’s only ever been momentary. I’m afraid of the dark, I get scared if people touch me, and I’m so afraid I’ll never be able to climb out of this hole I feel I’m sinking further and further into.” Tears had begun rolling down her cheeks as she spoke. She felt him shift and glanced over. Both feet were on the ground now. His elbows rested on his knees and his forehead was in his hands. 

She reached one shaking hand over and touched his arm. “I want you to pierce me.”

Gajeel’s head snapped up, confusion all over his face. “You what?”

“I want you to pierce me,” she said a little stronger. “I need to heal. I need to take myself and my body back. I need to not fear you anymore, because you’re part of my guild. I need this for me, and if I’m honest, I think you need it too.”

“Why me?” Gajeel shook his head, slightly. He couldn’t understand why she would go to him, asking him to hurt her after saying how much he already had.

“Because this is something I want. I’m just hoping that by creating a positive memory with you, it can lessen the impact of the negative one.”

Gajeel didn’t speak for a very long time. He simply stared at her. She wasn’t bothered by it this time though. She could see he was working it all out in his mind and she sat in silence for as long as he needed. 

“What is it that you want done?” he asked her, speaking softer than she had known him to be capable of.

“My belly button.”

He nodded and stood up. He grabbed some alcohol from his kitchen cupboard and returned to the couch. “You know this is going to hurt, right?”

Levy gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah I know.” 

“Lay down.” Doing as he asked, Levy watched with interest (and nervousness) as he took a swig from the bottle before pouring a little on her exposed stomach. Crouching down beside her, he shaped his finger into a delicate needle. Looking up at her face, he clarified her request. “You sure about this? I can’t undo this once it’s done.”

“I’m sure,” Levy nodded with a nervous smile. She laid her head back down and tried to calm her heartbeat. There were so many emotions swirling through her, bracing for the emotional impact of this moment than the physical pain she knew was coming.

He pinched the skin of her belly button and tugged it up a bit. “Deep breath in, Shrimp.” When she acquiesced, he quickly poked the needle through the skin. 

Levy gasped and bit her lip. It was like it went through an invisible bubble before actually going through her skin. It didn’t hurt her body as much as she thought it would but it still burned. The breaking of the emotional bubble that had encased her body caused a few tears to escape. She blinked the rest back and tipped her head so she could watch him work as he carefully shaped the needle into a ring before allowing it to detach from his finger. 

Gajeel stood up and extended his hand to her so she could sit up. He withdrew into his kitchen and came back with a juice box. The sight of the larger man with a juice box in his hand made Levy laugh but she quickly stopped, not cluing in that laughing would move the piercing slightly until it hurt a little. Gajeel thrust the juice box into her hand and she watched him as she sipped.

When she was finished, he helped her stand up. He wasn’t expecting the quick and careful hug she gave him. He looked down as she looked up, and the fear he had always seen in her eyes wasn’t gone but he could see she was doing her best to stamp it down and move passed it. He gave her the barest trace of a smile as she pulled away. Grabbing her purse, Levy made her way to his front door, knowing neither one of them wanted to be in the other’s presence for longer at this point.

She paused at the door and looked back at him. “Bye Gajeel. Thank you for this. Will you be at the hall later?” He only shrugged and watched as she let herself out. She closed the door behind her, but as she got to the end of the road, she heard the door open.

“Shrimp,” Gajeel called from his door way. When Levy turned to look at him, he simply nodded his head. It was easier for him to do that one gesture than thank her, or apologize, or say any of the things rattling around in his head at that moment. The smile on her face told him she understood. With a wave, she headed back towards Fairy Hills.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you thought :)


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